Raising sunken vessels



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N0. 52 Patented Aug. 7, 1894.

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. RAISING SUNKEN VESSELS. No 524,243. Patentd Aug. 7, 1894.-

WITNESSES:

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INVENTOH 1w: cams mus co.. Puo-rourno WASNINGTON, o. c.

I 'l UNIT D STATESPATENT "FFICE.

OSCAR AUSTAIN BULETTE, OFCHARLESTON, WVASHINGT ON.

, RAISING SUNKIENIVESSEILIS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent-No. 524,243, dated August 7, 1894 Application filed May 19, 1894. Serial No. 511,865. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OSCAR AUSTAIN BU- LETTE, of Oharlestomin the county of Kitsap and State of Washington, have invented a new and Improved Wreck-Indicator and Vessel-Raising Attachment, of which. the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved wreck indicator and raising device, whereby the position of a sunken vessel isreadily indicated, and a lifting chain or cable can be automatically attached to the sunken vessel from above and without the employment of a diver. I

The invention 1 consists principally of a float, supporting a spool or drum carrying a cable or rope connected with the vessel to be raised, the spool being provided with a peculiar brake mechanism.

It also further consists of a bill-hook on the vessel, a cable or rope leading from the billhook to a float, and a lifting chain or cable 7 having a large terminal link or ring which is adapted to slide down on such float cable and to automatically engage the bill-hook, as hereinafter described.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure l is a side elevation of the improvement as applied. Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation ofa bill-hook and adjacent parts .as applied on the vessel, the latter being in "tion of the spool or drum and the brake mechanism for the same; and Fig. Sis an end elevation of the same. b

In the sides of the marine vessel A are secured a number of bill-hooks B, shown in detail in Figs. 2 and 3, and each connected at its top and near its outer end with a cable or 1 rope (3,.winding on a spool or drum D, journaled in brackets E and E, fastened on a float F of any approved construction, and provided at its top with a socket G, adapted to support a flag H or other indicating device.

The float F is located in a convenient place on the deck of the vessel A,-so that when the vessel'sinks, the float will rise, and the cable or rope O, on account of being fastened on the bill-hook B fixed to the vessel, will unwind -from the drum or spool D as the vessel goes down, while the float F will remain on the top of the water. Thus the several floats F by their flags H, readily indicate the positionof the sunken vessel, as plainlyillustrated in Fig. 1.

In order to prevent a too. rapid unco iling or unwinding of the cable or rope O- as the I vessel goes down, I provide a'brake mechanism for the drum or spool D, as illustrated in detail in Figs. 7 and 8. A brake washer or sleeve I, is interposed between the inner face of the bracket E and the flange D'- ofthe drum tending longitudinally and adapted to be .7 D, and this sleeveI carr1es two pins J, ex-

pressed on at their outer ends by a Wheel K screwing on a screw rod K, secured on a washer K fastened to the outside of the bracket E. The..washer K is formed with apertures for the passage of the pins J, soas to hold the sleeve I in place, and by the operatorscrewing up the wheel K, it presses the said sleeve I, upon the flange D with such force as is necessary to prevent a too rapid uncoiling of the rope or cable 0.

Now, when the position of the vessel has been indicated by the floats F on the top of the water, and a wrecking crew desires to make connection with the sunken vessel, then the eye or link L of a chain or cable L is passed over each cable or rope C and then permitted to pass downward, with the link L' guided on the cable or rope'O. When this link L finally reaches the lower' end of the cable Cit slides farther-downward over the billhook B, and'when a pull'is now exerted from above on the said rope or cable L, then the hook L hooks on the bill-hook B, and is locked in place therein by its usual pivoted tongue 13'; thus connection is made by the lifting chain or cable Lwith the sides of the vessel to be raised, without the employment of a diver or other means. The several lifting chains or cables L are then connected with hoisting mechanism of any approved con- IOO struction, to raise the vessel to the surface of Q the water.

The float or buoy F is preferably constructed of sheet metal, but canvas or other material may be employed. The air tight constructed float is filled with atmospheric air, gas or other fluid.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire totsecure by Letters Patent 1. As an improved means for raising wrecks or sunken vessels, the combination of the billhook rigidly attached to a vessel, with its nose projecting downward, a float and reel, a guide rope attached 'to said reel and to the bill hook at a point above its nose, and a lifting cable having a loop or ring which is secured to one end and adapted to slide on the guide rope and to pass over and automatically engage. the bill-hook, as shown and described.

2. A device of the class described, comprising a float, a spool or drum journaled on the said float and carrying a rope or cable connected with a vessel, a sleeve adapted to en substantially as shown and described.

OSCAR AUSTAIN BULETTE. Witnesses:

S. D. KING, R. H. LINDSAY. 

